Senior Applied Psychologist Memory Assessment; Sandwell

Job summary

This is a rare opportunity for a qualified Psychologist to join our Sandwell locality MAS team and to expand their practice in neuropsychological assessment, and holistic person-centred psychological input for individuals being assessed for potential dementia conditions.

You will be an intrinsic member of the MAS multi-disciplinary team working closely alongside the MAS Team Manager, Clinical Lead, Memory Assessment Nurses Consultant Psychiatrist and Specialty Doctors within the team. Alongside this our nursing and allied health professional partners such as Occupational Therapists who support MAS from the Enhanced Community Mental Health Team (ECMHT).

Multi-disciplinary team (MDT) partners highly value the role of the Psychologist within the MDT - "MDTs are so much better with Psychology in attendance as discussions are much more professionally challenging/stimulating".

You will also have access to expert clinical supervision from the Dementia Lead Consultant Clinical Psychologist and to develop your expertise in terms of neuropsychology input with individuals with a range of neurodegenerative conditions as well as functional cognitive disorders.

You will have opportunities to deliver CPD, teaching and training to the MDT. The successful applicant will have full connections with the wider Older Adult Psychology staff team here at BCHFT who are committed to supporting and networking with each other across the various clinical areas within the Older Adult Division.

You will be looking to work closely within a multi-disciplinary MAS team and enjoy the administration of neuro-psychological assessments in order to assist in the diagnostic process of various dementias with an older adult population over the age of 65 and younger onset dementia patients who present to the service between 50-65 years of age.

You will provide a psychological perspective on cases within weekly MDT meetings where you will be integral in determining suitability for neuropsychological input into patient care.

The team is a locality-based MAS team with the highest standards of person-centred and holistic care and a commitment to MDT working. This is an exciting time to join the team as Black Country Healthcare Foundation Trust moves forward with the parity of psychology provision within MAS services into the four areas of the Black Country which include Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Wolverhampton and Dudley.

The Older Adult Psychology Division more widely is a very supportive and experience division with numerous opportunities to link in with psychologists involved.

• Provide highly specialist psychological assessment of clients with highly complex conditions based on the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of data from a variety of sources, which will include neuropsychological testing
• Undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and provide specialist advice to other professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management.
• Undertake highly skilled evaluations and makes decisions about treatment options.
• Provide highly specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other staff contributing directly to clients diagnosis, formulation and intervention plan.
• Facilitate decision-making by planning and mapping assessment processes/interventions with members of the team to determine the most appropriate treatment modality or service for clients.
• Clinical supervision of Trainee Applied Psychologists and Assistant Psychologists under the guidance of Consultant Applied Psychologist.
• Provides highly specialist advice, guidance, consultation and supervision to other direct care staff in MDT and in other OA services such as ECMHT, the newly formed Hospital at Home Team, Admiral Nurses and local Older Adult Inpatient wards as appropriate.
• Devise and deliver training to other staff in MAS MDT and across the Older Adult Division,
• HCPC Registration as an applied psychologist
• Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied Psychology (or its equivalent) as accredited by the BPS including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
• oWorking as a qualified applied psychologist within an older adult service or interest in developing experience in this area.
• Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees